A view from the Pueblo across the Mediterranean
Benalmandena Peublo
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Church of Santa Domingo de Guzman Circa 1621
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Hotel La Fonda Terrace Benalmandena Pueblo
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The beautiful Internal Patio Hotel Fonda
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White buildings with their Spanish Tile Roofs
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Hotel Pueblo a B&B Boutique Hotel
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*pueblo pl. pueb·los A permanent village or community of any of the Pueblo peoples, typically consisting of multilevel adobe or stone apartment dwellings of terraced design clustered around a central plaza.
Benalmandena/* is built on the side of a steep hill, and at points actually on cliffs, John and I have walked up to the Pueblo many times since arriving here in October for our latest www.trustedhousesitters.com pet and house sitting assignment. I keep hoping it'll get easier but no I still need oxygen before my first G&T or Cafe con Leche, depending on the time of day hopefully after our six month stay I may only need the G&T! It's not the distance coming back is a breeze downhill ALL the way we even get to stop and pick oranges and lemons from the numerous fruit trees which grow everywhere. The Pueblo cascades down from the jutting Sierra de Mijas towards the Mediterranean Sea, the traditional Andaluz-style white-washed buildings which make up the Pueblo are dazzling – literally so when sun and buildings meet – spending a morning wandering the intersecting courtyards and alleyways can transport the mind and body into a different time. It's a surprisingly historical place full of charm and like many European towns and villages well looked after. The local people are proud of their town and it's heritage apart from the appearance of the odd motor cycle the pueblo doesn't look as though it's changed for hundreds of years. Occupied by the Phoenicians, Byzantines and Romans it was the arrival of the Moors from North Africa which lead to the architecture seen today.
I love wandering through the narrow streets lined with white washed buildings at times taking on the look of a botanical garden, pots and hanging baskets outnumber the people. Taking the route up Calle Real to the beautiful Church of Santa Domingo de Guzman spectacularly located on the top of the hill where you can sit and enjoy the amazing views along the coastline, Malaga to the East and Fuengirolla the West. Built in 1621 the church is thought to be built on the foundations of an old Moorish temple and would have originally formed the centre of Benalmandena. For the faint hearted or less physically able there is an elevator which travels straight up the cliff face from the car park below. There are a variety of restaurants, tapas bars and cafes, for just 7 Euros you can enjoy a two course menu del dia with coffee or wine. The town offers some excellent choices in accommodation the four star beautifully restored Hotel La Fonda and equally charming Boutique Hotel Pueblo both get excellent reviews there's a huge variety of apartments and villas to rent as well as B&B's and pensions, in fact something for every taste and budget.
This whole part of Spain is incredibly busy during the months between May and October popular with British, German Italian Scandinavian and Spanish visitors. The beauty or should I say convenience for non Spanish speakers in this part of Spain is simply that you don't have to worry because of the popularity with the Brits since the sixties. The British invasion developed the Costa del Sol for better or worse there was a time when this was known as the Costa del Crime in the '70 there was no extradition treaty with the UK so every villian on the run came and settled in Marbella how times have changed this is now the last place to run to …. apparently! Today low cost and budget airlines along with the mild winter climate make this part of Spain a popular year round destination. Brilliant for us our family pop over to see us from the UK for a weekend break just one of the win win benefits of our house sitting assignments really beats having to make the 10 hour flight to Vancouver, not to mention cost and time. If your stay here is short, just passing through on a European tour or your cruise ship docks for the day in Malaga this lovely town is worth a visit and when in Spain remember siesta time, time literally stands still from 2 until 5 pm even in2014 embrace it you'll soon be back to the 24/7 environment that is Canada and North America.
Benalmandena/* is built on the side of a steep hill, and at points actually on cliffs, John and I have walked up to the Pueblo many times since arriving here in October for our latest www.trustedhousesitters.com pet and house sitting assignment. I keep hoping it'll get easier but no I still need oxygen before my first G&T or Cafe con Leche, depending on the time of day hopefully after our six month stay I may only need the G&T! It's not the distance coming back is a breeze downhill ALL the way we even get to stop and pick oranges and lemons from the numerous fruit trees which grow everywhere. The Pueblo cascades down from the jutting Sierra de Mijas towards the Mediterranean Sea, the traditional Andaluz-style white-washed buildings which make up the Pueblo are dazzling – literally so when sun and buildings meet – spending a morning wandering the intersecting courtyards and alleyways can transport the mind and body into a different time. It's a surprisingly historical place full of charm and like many European towns and villages well looked after. The local people are proud of their town and it's heritage apart from the appearance of the odd motor cycle the pueblo doesn't look as though it's changed for hundreds of years. Occupied by the Phoenicians, Byzantines and Romans it was the arrival of the Moors from North Africa which lead to the architecture seen today.
I love wandering through the narrow streets lined with white washed buildings at times taking on the look of a botanical garden, pots and hanging baskets outnumber the people. Taking the route up Calle Real to the beautiful Church of Santa Domingo de Guzman spectacularly located on the top of the hill where you can sit and enjoy the amazing views along the coastline, Malaga to the East and Fuengirolla the West. Built in 1621 the church is thought to be built on the foundations of an old Moorish temple and would have originally formed the centre of Benalmandena. For the faint hearted or less physically able there is an elevator which travels straight up the cliff face from the car park below. There are a variety of restaurants, tapas bars and cafes, for just 7 Euros you can enjoy a two course menu del dia with coffee or wine. The town offers some excellent choices in accommodation the four star beautifully restored Hotel La Fonda and equally charming Boutique Hotel Pueblo both get excellent reviews there's a huge variety of apartments and villas to rent as well as B&B's and pensions, in fact something for every taste and budget.
This whole part of Spain is incredibly busy during the months between May and October popular with British, German Italian Scandinavian and Spanish visitors. The beauty or should I say convenience for non Spanish speakers in this part of Spain is simply that you don't have to worry because of the popularity with the Brits since the sixties. The British invasion developed the Costa del Sol for better or worse there was a time when this was known as the Costa del Crime in the '70 there was no extradition treaty with the UK so every villian on the run came and settled in Marbella how times have changed this is now the last place to run to …. apparently! Today low cost and budget airlines along with the mild winter climate make this part of Spain a popular year round destination. Brilliant for us our family pop over to see us from the UK for a weekend break just one of the win win benefits of our house sitting assignments really beats having to make the 10 hour flight to Vancouver, not to mention cost and time. If your stay here is short, just passing through on a European tour or your cruise ship docks for the day in Malaga this lovely town is worth a visit and when in Spain remember siesta time, time literally stands still from 2 until 5 pm even in2014 embrace it you'll soon be back to the 24/7 environment that is Canada and North America.
